(Newser)
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A weakening Hurricane Bill spun northward today, churning up rough seas, creating dangerous rip tides and closing beaches to swimmers up and down the eastern seaboard, including President Obama's planned vacation spot, Martha's Vineyard. The Category 1 hurricane was expected to pass the mainland well off New England, but was still packing high winds and waves that had safety officials urging extreme caution.

At Robert Moses State Park in New York, the beach was shut down as the high tide submerged the sand, though the beach opened later today for sunbathing. Along some beaches in Delaware and New Jersey, no swimming was allowed. But high waves that worried safety officials had surfers buzzing. "People wait all summer for this," one said.

totally called it! look up the high pressure zone that's been sitting dead east from vero beach for a while. shoving radio waves into the ionosphere works pretty well for deterring hurricanes from landfall